November 5, 23:17Tecnoblog

TikTok Shop launches dedicated application for purchases in selected markets

TikTok is investing in consolidating its marketplace ecosystem by introducing an exclusive application for its shopping platform. This new application maintains functionalities already present on the social network, such as displaying product videos and live sales sessions.

Currently, access to the TikTok Shop application is restricted to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, as reported by The Verge. Brazil, along with the United States and the United Kingdom, is not part of this initial launch phase. With this dedicated channel, the company seeks to strengthen its position against Chinese competitors, such as Temu and Shopee.

Although it has not yet been determined whether this launch is part of a test or if TikTok plans to expand the application to other locations, including Brazil, the listing on the App Store indicates that Portuguese is among the supported languages.

In Brazil, TikTok Shop remains integrated into the social network. It is worth noting that earlier this year, the company requested permission from the Central Bank to operate in the country as a payments and credit fintech.

The new application preserves elements of the purchasing experience already present on the short video network but offers navigation more aligned with conventional marketplaces, allowing users to find items through a standardized interface with various categories and a search function.

However, the application does not neglect the nature of the social network, maintaining a tab called 'Explore'. This section displays short videos about merchandise available in the store, published on the social network itself, and allows users to follow live broadcasts from sellers.

To encourage the use of the new app, it is expected to offer benefits such as bonuses for the first purchase and shipping discounts. Following the pattern of oriental shopping apps, the application is expected to include roulette mechanisms for obtaining bonuses and other strategies aimed at consumer retention.

There is no confirmation yet as to whether TikTok will replace the social network's shopping area with this new application or if both options will remain operational.

According to observations from TechCrunch, the creation of a separate application brings TikTok closer to traditional e-commerce retailers, although it follows a different trajectory from giants like Amazon, which attempted to replicate the integrated experience of the Chinese media with the vertical short video feed called Inspire.

This novelty is also part of the platform's larger effort to diversify its activities beyond short videos. TikTok has already integrated or tested features related to games, restaurants, sports, hotel reservations, and micro-dramas.

TikTok Shop was officially launched in the country last year, enabling the purchase of products shown in videos and the use of links provided by creators participating in the affiliate program.

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uzdaily.uzNovember 3, 19:30

70% of online shoppers in Uzbekistan purchased used goods, according to a study

According to a study conducted by the resale platform Listee and the research agency ORO, 70% of consumers making online purchases in Uzbekistan have already bought goods from private sellers. The most popular categories were clothing, footwear, bags, and electronics.

The survey showed that Uzbek consumers are most inclined to consider purchasing electronics and household goods from private individuals. In both these groups, 56% of respondents expressed readiness or partial readiness for such purchases. Household goods followed closely, as 55% of those surveyed showed interest. Building and renovation materials, as well as clothing, footwear, and bags, were rated by 54% of respondents. Half of the respondents stated they were willing to consider buying furniture and children's items secondhand.

Less popular categories included large household appliances (47%), auto parts, cosmetics, and accessories (each at 43%).

Younger people are more active in the secondhand market

The study results indicate that purchasing from private sellers has become part of the experience for a significant portion of Uzbekistan's internet users. The most frequently purchased categories—clothing, footwear, and bags, as well as electronics—each accounted for 27% of respondents' stated purchases.

Other popular categories included construction and renovation materials (17%), children's goods and toys (16%), large household appliances (15%), small household appliances (14%), and furniture (13%).

The highest activity was recorded among people aged 25–34. In this age group, 80% made a purchase from a private seller at least once. Electronics was the most popular category, purchased by 39% of respondents in this age group. Young consumers also demonstrated a greater willingness to buy various goods secondhand. Among respondents aged 25–34, 66% are willing to consider purchasing building and renovation materials, 65%—clothing, footwear, and bags, 62%—furniture, and 61%—large household appliances.

Conversely, people aged 45–60 were more cautious about such purchases. Among them, 38% had never bought goods from private sellers. Only 40% of respondents in this age group were willing to purchase secondhand furniture, 45%—clothing, footwear, and bags, and 30%—cosmetics and accessories.

Safety remains a key factor in market development

Despite growing interest in secondhand purchases, trust and safety remain important aspects when choosing an online platform. According to the survey, data protection is important to 87% of buyers, protection against fraud to 86%, and the possibility of reimbursement in case of seller deception to 83%.

olhardigital.com.brNovember 1, 21:03

Itaú launches new payment tool that allows completing online purchases within the bank's application

Itaú Unibanco introduced a new payment solution for e-commerce last Friday (the 30th). This feature allows customers to finalize their purchases from partner virtual stores directly through the banking application, unifying financial services, security authentication mechanisms, and credit analysis in one place.

Technologically, the tool aims to solve frequent challenges that negatively impact sales on virtual platforms. The system consolidates customer data, authentication, fraud prevention, and credit offers into a single payment experience, which results in a decrease in transaction rejections.

Angelo Russomanno, Director of Receipts and Acquiring at Itaú Unibanco, explained in a press release the context that drove the creation of this technological platform for the digital market. He pointed out that the checkout process is a critical moment where e-commerce frequently loses sales, either due to rejection because of suspected fraud or lack of limit, data entry errors, or excessively long journeys.

For the consumer, this technology eliminates the need to enter card numbers or security codes on virtual store pages. By choosing Itaú Pay among the available payment options at checkout, the user completes the purchase within the bank's own application, being able to opt to use account balance or credit methods.

The interface presents the financial conditions and the total amount before order confirmation. Furthermore, the system offers eligible customers extended installment options, additional purchase limits, and the possibility of paying using accumulated points from the program.

Companies that implement this novelty should observe an increase in sales efficiency, according to calculations presented by the bank. The financial institution estimates that the technology has the potential to raise the transaction approval rate by up to ten percentage points, minimizing losses caused by fraud and payment rejections. Russomanno emphasized that Itaú Pay represents an integration that unites the bank's relationship with individual and corporate clients, the operation of the Network in payments, and the offering of credit and risk management.

Another goal of the bank is for differentiated payment conditions to encourage higher-value purchases. The institution predicts that extended installment options can increase the average acquisition value by up to fifty percent.

The infrastructure used is based on the payment structure of Rede, an acquiring company belonging to the Itaú group. The Decolar travel platform was the first to incorporate the system, which is already accessible to the company's customers.

The expansion of this service will be carried out gradually in the coming weeks. Companies such as Raia Drogasil, Localiza, Zig, and EBANX are already included in the official schedule to make the modality available to their respective customers in the digital environment.